NHNZ Welcomes 2010 With Growth Fuelled Reshuffle

NHNZ Welcomes 2010 with Growth Fuelled Reshuffle

NHNZ has announced a raft of promotions as the company gears up for a momentous year.

2009 saw the multi-award winning prod co announce a move to new enlarged premises for its Dunedin HQ. That shift will happen in the middle of this year. NHNZ managing director Michael Stedman says the company is also close to signing off two deals that will see it buy into smaller production companies as part of a drive to expand its international production capacity.

Space is also increasingly scarce in the company’s already crowded trophy cabinet with the addition of several notable awards last year including the inaugural International Achievement Award from the Qantas Film and Television Awards.

And this year three highly experienced NHNZ team members have been promoted to senior positions.

“As we move forward, we need flexibility in how we respond to market changes - our ability to adapt has always been one of our strengths. We need the best people in the industry to lead the company through this expansionary phase.

“Rather than look offshore, we looked at the wealth of talent and experience we are fortunate to house within NHNZ, and to members of our team who are committed to the company’s long term growth,” Mr Stedman says.

NHNZ Executive Producer Andrew Waterworth has been appointed to the newly established role as Head of Production in 2010 while continuing to executive produce a number of programs.

Andrew has thirty years' experience in the television industry and has particular expertise in science programming. He joined NHNZ as an Executive Producer in 2000 and since then has been responsible for delivering high quality, top rating shows to major US and European networks. Recent productions include China Quake, Colossal Squid and Shark Nicole.

Meanwhile long standing NHNZ series producers Judith Curran and John Hyde have been promoted to the ranks of Executive Producers. They will also continue to work as series producers.

Judith Curran’s career in television production began in Australia where she produced and directed a wide range of highly acclaimed documentaries. Since joining NHNZ in 2001, she has been the driving force behind an equally diverse range of programs most recently series-producing the top rating docu-drama Orangutan Island for Animal Planet. Judith’s other credits include producing the seven part Growing Up series for Animal Planet, which featured the Emmy award nominated Growing Up Orangutan.

John Hyde has more than 30 years filmmaking experience and has worked at NHNZ as an editor, producer, and director for a variety of natural history, adventure and science programs. His extensive credit list includes producing the six-part Tribal Life Meet the Namal series for the Travel Channel and the six-part Man Made Marvels 2 series made with Discovery Networks Asia, Discovery Science and Beach House Pictures as well as the science-adventure series Bite Me with Dr Mike Leahy for National Geographic Channels International and the Travel Channel.

“All three are immensely experienced and talented. Collectively they bring formidable television and production experience to the company. These changes give us both flexibility and tremendous experience demanded in what are challenging times across the industry,” Mr Stedman says.

ENDS

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